Marriage on the other hand… That implied loyalty. Not to mention a blood mating.
“Well, he’s here, and he’s probably getting impatient.” Rumi glanced at the clock over the mantel.
Tatyana stood. “Help me get this dress off.”
Oleg was right.
She hated when he was right.
Sándor needed to know where she was going, especially since they were no longer in Oleg’s or Tatyana’s territory.
They had mostly kept their liaisons to their home territories for this precise reason. Close to home, Tatyana felt secure, but in Budapest at a vampire summit filled with apex predators, security was not guaranteed.
Especially with Ivan lurking in the city. Tatyana didn’t want to take chances.
She hung up the blue dress and donned her usual uniform of navy-blue trousers and a navy-blue sweater with a high neck, then twisted her hair into a simple knot at the back of her head and went to meet her chief Hazar.
Sándor rose when she entered the room. “Terrin Tatyana.”
“Please.” She motioned toward his chair and sat across from him; Sándor sat after she did.
“Sándor, over the past four years, I have come to trust you, so I hope you will forgive me for keeping something from you that is pertinent to my safety.”
“If you are speaking of your relationship with Oleg Sokolov, I am aware of it.” Sándor’s expression did not change.
Tatyana nodded. “I suspected that you knew of our physical relationship, but there is more.”
Sándor nodded but said nothing.
“Oleg is my husband. We were married privately not long after I became terrin. We discussed the matter prior to my accepting the role leading the Poshani, but I am the one who decided it was better to keep our connection private.”
Sándor barely blinked. “You did not want the people to question your loyalty to the clan.”
“Exactly.” Tatyana asked the question she’d been dreading. “Doyouquestion my loyalties to the Poshani now that I have given you this information?”
Sándor cocked his head. “No, madam. If anything, my observations lead me to believe that you are even more severe with the Sokolov organization than with other businesses we deal with.”
Tatyana nodded. “Good. I would never let my relationship with Oleg affect my devotion or responsibility to our people.Oleg understands and accepts this. If he did not, I would not have married him.”
Sándor nodded. “Are you and Sokolov thinking of going public with your connection?”
“No.” Tatyana smiled. “For now we both agree that it would not be wise. But I would like to spend some time with my husband privately while we are in the same city.”
“Of course, madam. Would you like me to coordinate with Mika Arakis on security arrangements while we are at the summit? I have his contact information.”
“Yes, but I would prefer that we keep this information to the smallest number of Hazar as possible. I trust your judgment on who should be told and when.”
Sándor nodded. “The Báthorys increase security around the city for the entire week of the summit, and it is generally considered bad form to show any kind of violence or aggression toward any of the immortal or human attendees.”
Tatyana nodded. “That makes sense.”
“Understanding that, spying and intelligence gatheringiswidely practiced and will be our greatest challenge for the week if you want your personal connection to Sokolov to remain private. If you have plans to meet him tonight, I suggest we utilize Rumi as a distraction. I assume Rumi knows about your marriage?”
Tatyana nodded. “What do you suggest?”
“I will take Rumi out in one of the vehicles, and you will wear a disguise and carry her purse and briefcase. Anyone watching will assume that Rumi is attending to your business and you are her assistant.”
“Good.”
